BALTIMORE, Md. – The Washington & Jefferson College men's water polo team (0-9, 0-2) dropped the opening two matches at the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Conference Games, hosted by Johns Hopkins. The Presidents opened the day with a 16-6 defeat to the Austin Kangaroos (2-8, 1-1) and a tight 14-11 loss to the Connecticut College Camels (4-14, 1-1).
 
Austin 16, W&J 6
Senior Dillon Parker (Nipomo, Calif./Central Coast New Tech) led the Presidents with three goals and two steals. Three additional Presidents each recorded a goal as well. Defensively, junior Hector Santaella (Key Biscayne, Fla./Belen Jesuit Prep) recorded two steals. Classmate Parker Elliott (Pennsburg, Pa./Upper Perkiomen) successfully won three out of the four opening sprints.
 
Both teams traded shots early and W&J got the first blow. Parker started tally in the first quarter with an assist by sophomore Christopher Mitchell (Towson, Md./Loyola Blakefield). The Kangaroos responded by getting themselves on the board with thirty seconds left in the quarter to knot the contest at one heading into the second. Austin found an extra gear in the second frame, outscoring the Presidents 5-0 to head into halftime with a 6-1 advantage.
 
The Kangaroos continued to extend their lead in the final two periods. In the third, Austin opened up to a 12-4 lead. Parker recorded two goals in the frame and Mitchell had the third. W&J tried to cut into the Kangaroos lead by going on a short 2-0 run to begin the fourth, but Austin found an extra gear and closed the game out to take the 16-6 win. Santaella and Elliot both recorded a goal in the fourth and final period.
 
Freshman Michael Stefanko (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny) got the start in goal and made 12 saves throughout the contest.
 
Connecticut College 14, W&J 11
Parker led the Presidents in the second game of the day with five goals. Senior Timothy Deutsch (Hazleton, Pa./Hazleton) and junior Joseph Aranda (Albuquerque, N.M./Menaul School) both had two. Mitchell recorded four assists as well. Elliot won all four opening sprints to begin each period. Defensively, junior Brody Souder (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) had three steals. 
 
The Presidents got off to a strong start in game two as the team got out to an early two goal lead. Souder started off the scoring and Aranda extended the lead. Mitchell had an assist on both goals. The Camels got one back, but Parker responded with a penalty conversion. Connecticut College recorded another at the end of the period, giving W&J a 3-2 advantage into the second frame.
 
Both teams traded goals in the second period as the contest was tied 4-4. Parker had his second of the evening to start the frame with the assist to Santaella. The Camels went on a short 2-0 run, but W&J responded when Aranda slotted an opportunity home set up by Mitchell. Connecticut College went into the halftime interval up a narrow 6-5.
 
W&J flipped the scoreline to start the third period when Parker converted two opportunities with a man up. Mitchell recorded a third assist on Parker's first goal in the period. The Camels responded with three goals of their flip the lead back and take a 9-7 advantage into the final period.
 
The Red & Black kept fighting as both teams traded goals throughout the fourth. Santaella and Deutsch started the scoring for the Presidents. Santaella recorded his second assist on Deutsch's first of the period. W&J kept getting the lead down to one goal, but the Camels kept responding to stay ahead. Parker and Deutsch recorded additional tallies, but Connecticut College found an extra gear to take the 14-11 victory.
 
Stefanko got the start in game two and recorded 12 saves throughout the match.

The Presidents return on Sunday (Oct. 25) for the final day of the MPSF Conference Games at Johns Hopkins. W&J will take on the (Div. III RV) Augustana Vikings at 9:30 a.m. and the (Div. III #3) Johns Hopkins Blue Jays at 3:30 p.m.